Human Resources

Applied Learning Projects

Applied learning projects introduce local school groups to public service and the work of the City. We pair groups of students with a City mentor to work together to solve an issue for the community, all while providing real-life experience.

Goals

Hands-on involvement and real-world problems for youth to solve

Collaboration between City staff and schools to provide meaningful learning experiences

Student-developed recommendations for solutions or products that address City and community needs

Project examples

The possibilities are wide open. What would you like to work on? Here are some examples:

Conducting energy or waste audits and making sustainable recommendations for how schools or businesses could make improvements

Documenting tree presence and absence with tree surveys in areas of the city with three-foot planting strips

Identifying areas that attract illegal dumping and come up with strategies to help property owners and businesses discourage this behavior

Working on Safe Routes to Schools projects to help improve active transportation (walking and biking) places and awareness in Gresham

Starting neighborhood litter clean up hubs with volunteers

Creating an art project or mural to add to Gresham’s sense of place/community

Learn more about our projects

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The
City and digital media students at the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL)
teamed up in 2013-14 to spotlight City services with this video, focusing on
pedestrian safety and use of Rapid Rectangular Flash Beacons.

A
student in the Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Program at CAL helped
pilot an approach for digital and physical representation of buildings in
Gresham. He took hard copy building plans and digitized them into a
computer aided design (CAD) system, then explored digital models using SketchUp
and Google Earth. Then …

He
produced physical models with 3D printing software, including the Carnegie
Library on Main Street, and presented his work to the Gresham Historical
Society.

The
City is a leader in producing more power than it consumes at its wastewater
treatment plant, and is partnering with Portland State University engineering
students to study the possibilities and design for a micro-hydro system to
harness the flow of water from large water users to produce power.

In
spring 2017, students explored the creative process for developing public
sculpture in the city. Staff in Urban Renewal partnered with YBA architecture
to work with seniors in CAL’s Digital Design media class. Students created
presentations for conceptual designs for public sculpture, and explored
functional design criteria for size, scope, and locations for art in public
spaces.

Rosemary
Anderson High School students assessed conditions in the areas around their
homes/apartments and school (safety, walkability, trees), then compared
conditions to a different neighborhood. A class project like this can help the
City improve safety or livability, for example adding street trees and identifying
pedestrian crossings.